Container

ABSTRACT

When assembling the container, only by erecting the side walls, the upright position is held securely, and the container can be set up easily and quickly. The container is a box-shaped container having side walls  2   a   , 2   b   , 2   c   , 2   d  pivoted and coupled foldable to each side of a bottom wall  1,  with the top side opened by erecting the side walls  2   a   , 2   b   , 2   c   , 2   d . One pair of confronting side walls  2   a   , 2   b  of the side walls coupled to each side of the bottom wall  1  are pivoted to the bottom wall  1  side so as to be plaited in contact with the top of the bottom wall  1.  Other pair of confronting side walls  2   c   , 2   d  are pivoted to the bottom wall  1  side so as to be plaited in contact with the top of the pair of side walls  2   a   , 2   b  plaited in contact with the upper side of the bottom wall  1.  An erect stopping structure consisting of stopping protrusions  6  and stopping grooves  7  is disposed between the pivoting edges of the pair of side walls  2   a   , 2   b  and other pair of side edges  2   c   , 2   d  and the corresponding bottom wall  1  position.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a container having foldable side walls of pivotal structure disposed at each side of a bottom wall, capable of forming a box-shaped container with an open top only by erecting each side wall, and also capable of plaiting down all side walls flat to the bottom wall when not in use.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Hitherto being a container used when storing carrying articles, an assembly type container having side walls freely opened on the bottom wall and assembled by erecting the side walls when putting in use is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-82941 or JP-A No. 2958339. In this kind of assembly type container, side walls are foldable provided on each side of the bottom wall by way of thin hinges, and adjacent side walls are mutually engaged to set up the container.

[0003] Also being a container used when storing carrying articles, an assembly type container having side walls freely opened on the bottom wall and assembled by erecting the side walls when putting in use is disclosed, for example, in JP-A No. 10-101066 or JP-A No. 10-101067. In this kind of assembly type container, side walls are foldable provided on each side of the bottom wall through hinges of pivotal structure, and the container is set up by erecting and mutually engaging the adjacent side walls.

[0004] In the assembly type container as disclosed in JP-A No. 63-82941 or JP-A No. 2958339, when the container is disassembled, the side walls are spread flat around the bottom wall composing container, but it is bulky in the spreading direction, and it is hard to stow away, store or carry. Besides, the side walls are linked to the bottom wall only by the thin hinges, if a load is applied to the side walls in the push-down direction, the load is borne by the thin hinges, and since the hinges are thin, they may be broken.

[0005] On the other hand, in the conventional container disclosed in JP-A No. 10-101066 or JP-A No. 10-101067, since the side walls can be plaited flat on the bottom wall, it is convenient for stowing away, storing or carrying, and moreover since the side walls are linked to the bottom wall by hinges of pivotal structure, if a load is applied to the side walls in the push-down direction, they are hardly broken. However, not having the mechanism of holding the side walls securely in the position of upright position, if the container is large in size, in particular, the side walls are likely to collapse in the process of fastening the mutually adjacent upright side walls, and it is not easy for one person to assemble the container.

[0006] It is hence an object of the invention to present a container capable of plaiting down the side walls foldable coupled to each side of the bottom wall, that is, both a pair of confronting side wall and other pair of confronting side walls, along the upper side of the bottom wall, gathering compact in a size of bottom wall when not in use so as to be stowed, stored or carried easily, and setting up easily and quickly only by erecting the side walls to keep the upright position securely when assembling the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] To achieve the object, the container as set forth in claim 1 of the invention is a box-shaped container opened in the top, having side walls tiltably pivoted and coupled to each side of a bottom wall and erecting each side wall, wherein a pair of confronting side walls of the side walls coupled to the sides of the bottom wall are pivoted at the bottom wall side so as to be folded in contact with the top of the bottom wall, and other pair of confronting side walls are pivoted to the bottom wall side so as to be folded in contact with the top of the pair of confronting side walls, and an erect stopping structure consisting of stopping protrusions and stopping grooves is disposed between the pivoting edges of the pair of side walls and other pair of side walls and the corresponding bottom wall position.

[0008] The container as set forth in claim 2 of the invention relates to claim 1, in which other pair of side walls of the side walls are provided also with an erect stopping structure between the pivoting portions at both ends.

[0009] The container as set forth in claim 3 of the invention relates to claim 1 or 2, in which the bottom wall and side walls are of hollow double wall structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010]FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an assembly type container according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0011]FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view showing a plaited form of a pair of side wall thereof;

[0012]FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view showing a plaited form of both a pair of side wall and other pair of side walls thereof;

[0013]FIG. 4 is a magnified perspective sectional view of a portion enclosed by broken line circle X in FIG. 3;

[0014]FIG. 5 is a magnified sectional view along line Y-Y in FIG. 4;

[0015]FIG. 6 is a magnified sectional view along line Z-Z in FIG. 4.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0016] The container shown in the drawing is composed of a bottom wall 1, and four side walls foldable coupled to four sides of the bottom wall in pivotal structure, that is, a pair of confronting side walls 2 a, 2 b, and other pair of confronting side walls 2 c, 2 d.

[0017] In this container, the bottom wall 1 and four side walls 2 a to 2 d are formed in hollow double wall structure by blow molding of thermoplastic synthetic resin (for example, high density polyethylene, polypropylene, engineering plastic).

[0018] Of the side walls 2 a to 2 d coupled to each side of the bottom wall 1 of the container, the pair of confronting side walls 2 a, 2 b are pivoted to the bottom wall 1 side so as to be plaited in contact with the top of the bottom wall 1, and other pair of confronting side walls 2 c, 2 d are pivoted to the bottom wall 1 side so as to be plaited in contact with the top of the pair of confronting side walls 2 a, 2 b plaited in contact with the upper surface of the bottom wall 1.

[0019] That is, at four corners of the bottom wall 1, individual pivoting portions 3 are erected and formed from the upper surface of the bottom wall 1, and at the four pivoting portions 3, the pair of side walls 2 a, 2 b are plaited and pivoted in contact with the top of the bottom wall 1, and other pair of side walls 2 c, 2 d are plaited and pivoted in contact with the top of the pair of side walls 2 a, 2 b plaited in contact with the upper surface of the bottom wall 1. Reference numerals 4, 4 are pivots of the side walls 2 c, 2 d, and 5, 5 are pivots of the side walls 2 a, 2 b, and these pivots 4, 4, 5, 5 are inserted and fixed in the holes provided in the pivoting portions 3 of the bottom wall 1.

[0020] At the pivoting side edges of the pair of side walls 2 a, 2 b and other pair of side walls 2 c, 2 d, stopping protrusions 6 are formed, and at the corresponding positions of the bottom wall 1, stopping grooves 7 are formed, and an erect stopping structure of the side walls 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d is formed by these stopping protrusions 6 and stopping grooves 7, and in particular this erect stopping structure is designed to support the engaged state of the stopping protrusions 6 and stopping grooves 7, so that the side walls 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d are held securely in upright position.

[0021] In the erect stopping structure by the stopping protrusions 6 and stopping grooves 7, as shown in FIG. 5, the leading end 6 a of the stopping protrusion 6 is horizontal, and the corresponding stopping groove 7 has a horizontal receiving portion 7 a. Accordingly, if a load is applied in the push-down direction in the upright position of the side walls 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d, the load is borne by the receiving portions 7 a of the stopping grooves 7, so that no load is applied to the pivotal structure of the pivots 4, 4, 5, 5. A secure engaged state is maintained so that the side walls 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d may not collapse outward, and by applying a slight impact to the side walls 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d inward from the outside, they can be easily plaited down in a flat state on the bottom wall 1.

[0022] Of the side walls 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d, the other pair of side walls 2 c, 2 d are provided with steps 8 for engaging with the pivoting portions 3 at the both ends, and the pair of side walls 2 a, 2 b form an erect stopping structure at both ends. At the pair of side walls 2 a, 2 b, pawls 9 are formed at both sides of the stopping protrusions 6, and the receiving groove 10 is formed in an upright state of the side walls 2 c, 2 d. The pawls 9 and receiving grooves 10 have flat portions 9 a, 10 a engaging with each other in an upright state of the side walls 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d as shown in FIG. 6, so that the side walls 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d are held upright in an accurate vertical position.

[0023] To assemble the container of the invention, from the flat plaited state as shown in FIG. 3, first the other pair of side walls 2 c, 2 d are erected, and then the pair of side walls 2 a, 2 b are erected, so that a box-shaped container with an open top is formed. That is, when the other pair of side walls 2 c, 2 d are erected, the stopping protrusions 6 are engaged with the stopping grooves 7, and the steps 8 at both ends are engaged with the pivoting portions 3 so that an upright position is held securely. When the pair of side walls 2 a, 2 b are erected in succession, the stopping protrusions 6 are engaged with the stopping grooves 7, and the pawls 9 are engaged with the receiving grooves 10, so that an upright position is held securely. Thus, only by erecting the side wall 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d in the instructed sequence, the container can be set up.

[0024] To plait down the container, first, the pair of side walls 2 a, 2 b are tilted in a state of contacting with the top of the bottom wall 1 by applying a slight impact force inward, and then the other pair of side walls 2 c, 2 d are similarly tilted, and the pair of side walls 2 a, 2 b are plaited down on the bottom wall 1, and the other pair of side walls 2 c, 2 d are plaited down thereon, so as to be in a flat compact form as shown in FIG. 3.

[0025] The container of the embodiment is formed in a hollow double wall structure by blow molding, and a container of a high buffering performance is obtained.

[0026] The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment alone, but is realized in various modified or changed modes. That is, in the illustrated embodiment, the bottom wall 1 and the side walls 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d are all in hollow double wall structure, but the object of the invention is similarly achieved if they are formed in a single wall structure.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0027] According to the invention, the side walls foldable coupled to each side of the bottom wall, that is, the pair of confronting side walls and other pair of confronting side walls can be plaited down along the top of the bottom wall, and when not in use, they are plaited down compactly in a size of the bottom wall, so as to be stowed away, stored or carried easily, and when setting up the container, only by erecting the side walls, the upright position is securely held, and the container can be assembled easily and quickly. 

1. A container composing a box-shaped container opened in the top, having side walls tiltably pivoted and coupled to each side of a bottom wall and erecting each side wall, wherein a pair of confronting side walls of the side walls coupled to the sides of the bottom wall are pivoted at the bottom wall side so as to be folded in contact with the top of the bottom wall, and other pair of confronting side walls are pivoted to the bottom wall side so as to be folded in contact with the top of the pair of confronting side walls, and an erect stopping structure consisting of stopping protrusions and stopping grooves is disposed between the pivoting edges of the pair of side walls and other pair of side walls and the corresponding bottom wall position.
 2. The container of claim 1, wherein other pair of side walls of the side walls are provided also with an erect stopping structure between the pivoting portions at both ends.
 3. The container of claim 1 or 2, wherein the bottom wall and side walls are of hollow double wall structure. 